Ultra-Low-Power 8-bit Microcontroller

NEC Electronics Inc. announced availability of a new ultra-low-power microcontroller (μPD789881) for the K0S family of 8-bit microcontrollers. Operating at full speed and 2.7-volts, the μPD789881 typically consumes only 18 microamps (μA) and has a standby current of 0.9 μA (typical). This new microcontroller offers power consumption levels substantially lower than other low-power controllers, which typically draw several milliamps while operating. Additionally, the μPD789881 features an integrated (26 × 4) liquid-crystal display (LCD) controller/driver. The low power consumption and integrated LCD controller make this latest addition to the K0S family a compelling solution for hand-held, battery-powered applications.

NEC's μPD789881 microcontroller operates from an external 32 kHz clock that powers all the on-chip peripherals. The microcontroller also features an internally generated 500 kHz clock for CPU operation. Users can dynamically switch CPU operation between the two clock speeds to accommodate the performance and power consumption requirements of their product designs. This is in addition to using the traditional power-down HALT and STOP modes.

The μPD789881 contains a hardware multiplier, 8- and 16-bit timers, watchdog timer, UART, 512-bytes SRAM and is available in either 32 KB flash or 16KB ROM versions. The microcontroller operates between 2.7- and 3.5-volts and comes in a 64-pin QFP package.

NEC's K Series&reg consists of the K0 and K0S families in both general-purpose and LCD controller versions. Both families support a wide selection of peripherals and memory configurations. The K0S family uses fewer peripherals and smaller memory options for more cost-sensitive applications. Both the K0 and K0S families operate from -40°C to +85°C and provide extended voltage ranges as a standard feature for use in challenging application environments.

To provide design professionals with a feature-rich, inexpensive design environment that accelerates time to market, NEC Electronics offers a variety of design tools for K Series microcontrollers, including software simulators with virtual hardware support, web-based programming examples and a variety of full-function, low-cost emulators (LCEs).